The warmer weather and longer sunsets have me in the mood for all things “summertime,” which here in the Ozarks definitely includes BBQ. I don’t currently own a grill, or really consider myself much of a grilling expert, but I do LOVE me some BBQ sauce. I love it all year round but it feels especially essential this time of year.
This recipe is for a thick and finger-licking-delicious BBQ sauce you can whip up in about 10 minutes (or less). I love it slathered on (veggie) burgers or sandwiches. And I also have really been digging these easy weeknight baked tofu skewers I’ve been making. It’s easy, tasty, and good for you.
I love how easy this BBQ sauce is to make, and that you’ll be able to pronounce all the ingredients. 🙂
This makes about 1 1/2 cups of BBQ sauce. If you’d like a bigger batch, feel free to double the recipe below. Any sauce you don’t use can be stored in an airtight container for at least two weeks in the refrigerator. It can probably last longer than that, but this is about how long I’ve kept a batch before using it up, so I feel safe recommending it.
To make my easy tofu skewers, just prep a bunch of veggies, fruit, and tofu. I prep my tofu the same as I do before baking (see here). I love to include bell pepper, mushrooms, red onion, and fresh pineapple. You could also add in some zucchini or yellow squash if you’re feeling it. Add to your wooden (or metal) skewers, brush with a little BBQ sauce, then bake at 400°F for 18-20 minutes. Brush with more BBQ sauce once done.
You can serve this on top of brown rice, or lightly steamed or stir-fried cauliflower rice if you want even more vegetables. These would also be delicious as lettuce wraps (lately I’ve been turning everything into a lettuce wrap—ha!). And if you have leftovers, save them! They are great warmed up the next day or later in the week. I love a meal that works as meal prep, right? Enjoy! xo. Emma
Credits // Author and Photography: Emma Chapman. Photos edited with the ACS for Desktop actions.
10 Minute BBQ Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 can 6 oz. tomato paste
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons molasses
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup apple juice or water
Instructions
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In a small pot, over high heat, stir together all the ingredients until well combined and the mixture just begins to boil. Remove from heat and enjoy.
Recipe Notes
If you want to keep this vegan, you can use all maple syrup instead of a mixture of maple syrup and honey. Also, I like to use 1/4 cup apple juice for this sauce, but if apple juice isn't something you normally have on hand, you can use water instead and this sauce will still be totally delicious.
13 Comments
I’ve never made my own BBQ sauce before. Can’t wait to try the recipe, it’s so much better than the store-bought stuff with all the preservatives!
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
http://charmainenyw.com
….. you have to realize that all of those individual ingredients you buy at the store already contain some form of preservatives right?
The only ingredient that I thought might be questionable was the dijon mustard. I actually tested this recipe with dry mustard (like what you get from the spice section, it’s just one ingredient) but I thought the dijon added to the taste more. I suppose you could buy a tomato paste with added preservatives and other ingredients but I was easily able to purchase one that just contained two ingredients. So perhaps that is your concern? To your point I think it’s always good to check the ingredient label when shopping and generally aim for items that have the least amount of ingredients or at least try to find ones where you are familiar or can pronounce all the ingredients. 🙂
I’m just dreaming of the amazing boom pow flavor profile just from reading the ingredients! Can’t wait to try it!
Homemade BBQ sauce is so much better than store bought! I’ll totally try this recipe soon!
Paige
http://thehappyflammily.com
I miss BBQ food more than anything as a vegetarian, so I find myself adding BBQ sauce onto anything I can with a fair amount of guilt considering the not-so-great labels of most bottles. I am looking forward to trying this!!
Yep, I hear you. I don’t eat a lot of meat myself but BBQ is one thing I LOVE. So I just make BBQ tofu dishes and what not. 🙂
How simple this sauce is! And it sounds absolutely delicious!
https://www.makeandmess.com/
how.much is 6 oz. can of tomato paste in grams.please?
It’s 170 grams
Thank you for the recipe! I’ve been looking for a BBQ sauce to replace the store-bought ones with questionable ingredients.
Ohhhh man I am SO READY for barbecue season!!
I doubled the recipe but decreased the red pepper flakes and omitted the cayenne for my non-spicy crowd. The flavor was wonderful and everyone liked it. Thanks for good recipe!